Outer Range (2022- )

The drama between two rival farmer families intensifies after a mysterious suggestion of time travel appears.

'Outer Range' is an intensely dramatic series peppered with elements of mystery and temporal paradoxes, similar to other well-known names like Twin Peaks and Dark. It has a rich and talented cast, full of well-known names, and a group of characters with a wonderful aura of morally gray, with the role of antagonist passed around from one episode to another. The mystery is multi-layered and enveloped in enough of many other poetic distractions to keep the appeal and the need to find out more at a high level.

Director:  Jennifer Getzinger and others

Production:  Amazon Studios

Creator:  Brian Watkins   

Duration:  2 sezoaseasons of 8 and 7 episodes (1 hour each)   

With: Josh Brolin, Tamara Podemski, Imogen Poots, Lily Taylor, Tom Pelphrey, Lewis Pullman, Will Patton, Shaun Sipos, Noah Reid

Rating: 8.7/10

Nope (2022)

A brother and sister try to save their horse farm by filming genuine UFO activity.

'Nope' is a successful experimental attempt by Jordan Peele in the science fiction genre. The thriller and sci-fi elements are moderate, but the dynamic of the characters is interesting and multidimensional and the main strong feature of the film.

Director:  Jordan Peele  

With: Daniel Kaluuya, Keke Palmer, Brandon Perea, Michael Wincott, Keith David, Steven Yeun

Rating: 7.6/10

Fallout (2024-)

In a post-apocalyptic Los Angeles, a naive woman who lived isolated in a bunker, a cowboy who's genetically modified by radiation and a soldier belonging to a cult intersect in their continuous adventures.

'Fallout' is a screen adaptation of a famous and much loved video game. It takes an often used context and creates some memorable characters that interact in an intriguing way, enough to promise a riveting season 2. The actors are perfectly chosen and the script is intelligent, although the first season was dedicated to building up the portrayals of the main characters.

Director: Jonathan Nolan and others

Production:  Amazon Studios   

Creator:  Geneva Robertson-Dworet, Graham Wagner   

Duration:  1 season ofe 8 episodes (1 hour each)   

With: Ella Purnell, Aaron Moten, Walton Goggins, Sarita Choudhury, Matt Berry

Rating: 8/10

3 Body Problem (2024-)

A high-level organization begins to make big plans after scientists from all over the world die under suspicious circumstances.

'3 Body Problem' is a sci-fi series based on a series of popular books. It includes innovative ideas and issues of ethics, morality and the value of humanity that deserve attention. As for the execution, it leaves something to be desired, whether intentional or not (in case the message is more important than the medium of transmission). It beautifully combines different genres, but in its pseudo-conclusion, it follows the path of many other productions, becoming a tad derivative.

Director:  Minkie Spiro and others   

Production:  Netflix   

Creator: David Benioff, D.B. Weiss, Alexander Woo

Duration: 1 season of 9 episodes (42 minutes each)  

With: Jovan Adepo, Liam Cunningham, Eiza González, Benedict Wong, Rosalind Chao, Jess Hong, Jonathan Price, John Bradley

Rating: 7/10

Chaos Walking (2021)

An all-male human colony goes through a shock when a ship with a female pilot crashes nearby.

'Chaos Walking' is an adaptation of a beloved YA Sci-Fi novel. With a ridiculous idea (men's thoughts are constantly exposed to those around them), the film has something to say in terms of entertainment, but as an artistic creation, it leaves a lot to be desired.

Director:  Doug Liman    

With: Tom Holland, Daisy Ridley, Demián Bichir, David Oyelowo, Mads Mikkelsen

Rating: 6.3/10

Maniac (2018)

Two strangers are drawn for different reasons to an experimental drug that promises to solve all their problems.

'Maniac' is a sci-fi drama with a very eclectic and imaginative content. The two main protagonists are excellent and very well suited for an association that makes so much sense. Hard to describe in general, Maniac must be experienced.

Director:  Cary Joji Fukunaga   

Production:  Netflix   

Creator:  Cary Joji Fukunaga, Patrick Somerville   

Duration:  miniseries of 10 episodes (6 ore 26 minutes in total)   

With: Emma Stone, Jonah Hill, Sonoya Mizuno, Justin Theroux, Sally Field, Julia Garner, Gabriel Byrne, Jemima Kirke, Trudie Styler

Rating: 9.5/10

Meet Cute (2022)

A young woman has the ability to travel in time and change her partner's past traumas.

'Meet Cute' has the premise of a romantic comedy, but becomes a psychological comedy through the prism of a sci-fi twist. No one can accuse the film of lack of originality. The comedy is light but present, the romance is a bit depressing, and the  sci-fi angle is interesting and makes possible a terrifying distortion of not respecting boundaries.

Director:  Alex Lehmann      

With: Kaley Cuoco, Pete Davidson, Kevin Corrigan, Deborah S. Craig

Rating: 7.6/10

Tau (2018)

A young woman is kidnapped by a scientist who keeps her in an intelligent house to perform experiments on her.

'Tau' is a sci-fi thriller that involves the favorite topic of recent years: artificial intelligence. With few characters, the film manages to be intelligent, coherent and full of meaningful dialogue. Satisfying for fans of the genre.

Director:  Federico D'Alessandro     

With: Maika Monroe, Ed Skrein, Gary Oldman, Fiston Barek

Rating: 8/10

The Darkest Hour (2011)

Two American friends and colleagues are stuck in Moscow during an alien attack.

'The Darkest Hour' is a sci-fi film of the alien invasion subgenre. With a young cast that was quite popular at the tim (or about to be), it lacks a well-written script and engaging characters.

Director:  Chris Gorak      

With: Emile Hirsch, Olivia Thirlby, Max Minghella, Rachael Taylor, Joel Kinnaman

Rating: 5.3/10

Another Life (2019–2021)

Niko is the head of a crew of a ship that has moved in the wrong direction that must quantify the level of danger from an alien species.

'Another Life' is a sci-fi series that will satisfy many fans of the genre, especially those looking for more regular entertainment. With some interesting main characters and original situations (but also some a little ... inspired), Another Life should not disappoint.

Director:  Metin Hüseyin and others

Production:  Netflix   

Creator:  Aaron Martin   

Duration:  2 seasons of 10 episodes (43 minutes each)   

With:  Katee Sackhoff, Samuel Anderson, A.J. Rivera, JayR Tinaco, Elizabeth Faith Ludlow

Rating: 8/10

Travelers (2016–2018)

Agents from an apocalyptic future are sent into the past, into the consciousness of those about to die, in an attempt to repair humanity's fate.

'Travelers' is a sci-fi series with an idea that has some merit. It generally goes by a "case of the week" style, but from time to time it tries to revolutionize the audience with original content in variations on the theme of temporal paradoxes. Interesting until the end, even with the rushed (by cancellation) finale.

Director:  Andy Mikita and others   

Production:  Netflix   

Creator:  Brad Wright  

Duration:  3 seasons of 10-12 episodes (45 minutes each)   

With: Eric McCormack, MacKenzie Porter, Nesta Cooper, Jared Abrahamson, Patrick Gilmore

Rating: 8/10

Reminiscence (2021)

Nick is an investigator who uses the memory of his clients as prime material with a special technology.

'Reminiscence' is a sci-fi noir film. Interesting in terms of idea, but not the first of its kind (Strange Days, The Final Cut), Reminiscence manages to bring the noir style back on the table with a plot worthy of the genre's legend. The love story is a bit generic and predictable, but it doesn't spoil the overall effect..too much.

Director:  Lisa Joy      

With: Hugh Jackman, Rebecca Ferguson, Thandiwe Newton, Cliff Curtis

Rating: 7.6/10

Anti Matter (2016)

A researcher discovers a form of teleportation and begins to have an idea of ​​what exactly forms our being.

'Anti Matter' is a dramatic sci-fi film that has some interesting ideas brought to life on a low budget. It starts slowly, but efficiently and with a natural progression and then subtly slips in a few episodes that can be temporarily frustrating, but the final explanation is intriguing enough to make it still worthwhile.

Director:  Keir Burrows    

With: Yaiza Figueroa, Philippa Carson, Tom Barber-Duffy, Noah Maxwell Clarke

Rating: 7.5/10

Cowboy Bebop (2021)

A group of bounty hunters often become accidental heroes in a world of space travel.

'Cowboy Bebop' is a live-action adaptation of a much-loved anime series. Full of adventures that somehow bring the main character back around the same typical and obvious antagonist, Cowboy Bebop could have evolved into something special with a slightly longer life than it's been allowed. Not being received by the fans as desired, the series suffers from an unfair underappreciation.

Director: Alex Garcia Lopez, Michael Katleman  

Production:  The WB   

Creator:  Christopher L. Yost   

Duration:  1 season of 10 episodes (58 minutes each)  

With: John Cho, Mustafa Shakir, Daniella Pineda, Elena Satine, Alex Hassell, Geoff Stults, Mason Alexander Park, John Noble

Rating: 8/10

Prey (2022)

Naru, part of the Comanche tribe, faces an earlier version of the Predator warrior.

'Prey' is the newest film in the Predator collection, with a new idea and execution, with the same formula, but buried deep in history. The characters are believable and easy to root for with a decent amount of emotional investment.

Director:  Dan Trachtenberg   

With: Amber Midthunder, Dakota Beavers, Dane DiLiegro, Stormee Kipp

Rating: 8/10

Synchronic (2019)

Two paramedics encounter very bizarre consequences caused by overdoses of a new and popular drug.

'Synchronic' is a sci-fi film with melodramatic accents. Interesting, beautifully made, and with characters that the viewer cares about. It tries to asks philosophical questions related to the evolution of evil, the evolution of humanity and the effect on nature, without forgetting the heart of the action.

Director:  Justin Benson, Aaron Moorhead   

With: Anthony Mackie, Jamie Dornan, Katie Aselton, Ally Ioannides

Rating: 8/10

The Vast of Night (2019)

A telephone operator and a radio operator begin to investigate local events after they manage to catch a series of strange noises through an unusual radio frequency.

'The Vast of Night' is a sci-fi film temporally set in the 50s, in a context that appears very authentic, in a culture obsessed with a third world war, alien invasions and government conspiracies. With a mini-homage to Orson Welles' 'War Of The Worlds' radio show (the radio station is called WOTW), this film is adept at subtly highlighting the panic, suspense and mystery needed to keep the viewer tensing.

Director:  Andrew Patterson   

With: Sierra McCormick, Jake Horowitz, Gail Cronauer, Bruce Davis

Rating: 8/10

Black Box (2020)

A father who lost his memory in an accident begins to doubt his own identity.

'Black Box' is a sci-fi horror film that maintains interest quite effectively. The moment when the causes of the mystery are explained is, as usual, the moment when the film appears banal and uninteresting, but it does not cancel the positive effect built up until then.

Director:  Emmanuel Osei-Kuffour      

With: Mamoudou Athie, Phylicia Rashad, Amanda Christine, Tosin Morohunfola

Rating: 7/10

Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency (2016–2017)

Dirk Gently is a holistic detective who investigates mysterious cases, interacting with very interesting characters.

'Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency' is a sci-fi comedy series, a kind of Doctor Who that never bothers trying to invent a logical-sounding science, everything being about poeple characterizations, their interaction and the mysterious rules of chance and fate. Fantasy, nonsense, sci-fi elements, skepticism and even well-placed idiocy, all find their place and purpose in the non-boring events of the series.

Director:  Michael Patrick Jann and others   

Production:  BBC America   

Creator:  Max Landis  

Duration:  2 seasons of 8 and 10 episodes (1 hour each)   

With: Samuel Barnett, Elijah Wood, Hannah Marks, Jade Eshete, Fiona Dourif, Michael Eklund, John Hannah, Aaron Douglas, Alan Tudyk, Julian McMahon, Amanda Walsh

Rating: 9/10

Dune: Part One (2021)

A family is given the task of governing the planet that produces the most important natural resource, but the movement has ulterior motives and forces the heir of the family to assume early responsibilities.

'Dune: Part One' is the first part of a new adaptation of the beloved sci-fi novel. More modern and unrushed than David Lynch's version (or the TV version from the beginning of the century), the current film benefits from the presence of one of the most talented current directors, who has the patience and ambition necessary to do the seriesjustice. The cast is full of great talent, the cinematography is superb and the mystery and intrigue of the world building and its mysticism are fully given their due.

Director:  Denis Villeneuve   

With: Timothée Chalamet, Rebecca Ferguson, Zendaya, Oscar Isaac, Javier Bardem, Jason Momoa, Josh Brolin, Stellan Skarsgård, Dave Bautista, Charlotte Rampling, Golda Rosheuvel

Rating: 9/10